How to Fool a Castle of Wizards
by NeahZoldyck13
Summary: Arthur just needs a break. Alfred gets him to go to Hogwarts... as a student. Can the nations survive this year without exposing themselves? And can they possibly keep Harry Potter safe? Only time will tell. Rating subject to change. Written for a friend's birthday. ON HIATUS SORRY.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! So, this is ANOTHER birthday fic for a friend. And it's my birthday in a week as well... Is that odd?**

 **Anyway, here's a USUK and MANY OTHER SHIPS Harry Potter crossover. It's meant to be fluffy, but I have a hard time writing only fluff, so there will be some angst. This takes place in Third Year, mostly because I wanted the Golden Trio to be a bit older, but I also didn't want to deal with the Triwizard Tournament or anything after that.**

 **So, ships! This is out here for your convenience. Ships are: USUK, PruCan, Spamano, and DenNor. Others are mentioned in passing. France and Romania are also here, just because. Also, THIS DOES HAVE DRARRY IN IT. It's not super obvious, and it's more the two figuring out feelings and being in denial more than actually being in a relationship. Still, I figured I should warn all of you, just in case you don't like Drarry.**

 **Also, please note that any and all political views expressed in this story ARE NOT MINE. These are honestly what I think the characters would think. NONE OF THESE ARE MY POLITICAL OPINION. As such, I will try to keep the politics to a minimum, but... there's still some. So. Warning.**

 **Enough of these long notes! Let's get on with the story!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own APH or HP. All rights go to their respective owners. I'm just playing in the sandbox for a little bit.**

* * *

"AGH! I can't do this anymore!" Arthur groaned, slamming his head onto his desk. Alfred hugged him from behind.

"What's wrong, Artie?" he asked. Arthur sighed and lifted his head up.

"I just... really need a break. I just need to get away for a while, with no paperwork, and no idiot Prime Minister breathing down my back."

"Hm... well, why don't we? You can just get one of your brothers to do all your paperwork for you," Alfred suggested, leaning around Arthur's shoulders to look into his eyes. Arthur frowned a bit. Well, he _could_ give his paperwork to one of his brothers... But...

"What about you?" Arthur frowned. Alfred laughed a little.

"Dude, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. Now, where do you want to go?"

"Hm... It's been a while since I've been to Hogwarts... but I don't feel like teaching... Ah! A de-aging spell!" Arthur jumped up and dashed over to his bookshelf, searching for the book he needed. Alfred blinked a little from his spot on the edge of the desk.

"What? What are you doing, Artie?"

"How would you like to go back to magic school, Alfred?" Arthur smirked, finally finding the book. He turned around and grinned at his fiance.

"Um... I never _went_ to magic school, Arthur... But it sounds fun! When are we going?" Alfred grinned back.

"Well, the new school year at Hogwarts starts in a month. I was thinking we could go shopping for supplies and such in the next week or so," Arthur mused, already planning what they would need for each year. "Also, we would need to come up with a convincing cover story as to why we are there... I know the Headmaster very well, so it shouldn't be too hard..."

"Arthur, slow down. Just slow down. One thing at a time," Alfred requested, looking a little lost. "First off, how young are we gonna be?"

"Hm... Well, six and seventh year transfers seem odd... But I don't quite want to become a first year or a second year... How about third year? We'd physically be thirteen," Arthur suggested. Alfred shrugged as if to say _Works for me_.

"Alright then. Now, I'm going to write to the Headmaster and let him know-"

"Wait! We should invite other people too!" Alfred exclaimed. Arthur blinked and looked up. "Like who?"

"Obviously Francis and Mattie. They'd kill us if we didn't invite them. And Francis will drag Gil and Toni with him. And you could invite Lukas and Dani to keep you sane. How about it? Just the eight of us?" Alfred asked, shooting Arthur his Puppy Pout of Doom.

Arthur bit his lip and tried to muster up the strength to refuse, but just... couldn't. Damn the American and his adorable face.

" _Fine_. We can invite them," Arthur sighed, giving in. Alfred cheered and grabbed Arthur into a tight hug.

"Thanks Artie, you're the best! I'll call Gil and Mattie right now!" With that, Alfred ran out of the room, leaving Arthur with a splitting headache and the thought of _What have I done?_

* * *

Surprisingly, getting enrolled was the easiest part. Professor Dumbledore was all too pleased to host the eight nations for a school year. He also informed Arthur that, as third years, they'd be in the same year as Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Arthur hadn't realised this fact until right now, and as such, panicked. Oh dear, he'd heard about all of the attempts made on the boy's life. He really didn't want to be caught in the middle.

The other nations reacted as Arthur had expected. "Cool! I wonder what he'll be like?" Alfred cheered when Arthur told him. Antonio and Gilbert reacted in pretty much the same manner. Francis just laughed at Arthur's concern. Matthew just smiled at Arthur before leaving to go "chat with" Gilbert.

Thankfully, Lukas and Dani were actually concerned like Arthur. "Looks like we'll have to actually be on guard this year," Dani sighed, looking up from his packing. Lukas nodded in agreement, flicking some hair out of his eyes.

"Finally, someone who agrees with me. Everyone else seems incredibly unconcerned. It's concerning," Arthur lamented, finishing up the de-aging potion.

"Let me check it. We all know potion-making is not your strong suit," Lukas spoke up, gently moving Arthur aside before scooping up some potion to test. Arthur huffed in mock anger, knowing that Lukas was just being truthful.

"So, how much money are we going to need for this?" Dani asked after a minute or two of silence. Arthur flinched as he thought about the amount.

"That bad, huh?" Dani asked, sighing. "I'll crack into my stores."

"Thank you, Danut. You're a great friend."

"Anytime, Arthur. You are going to pay me back eventually, though."

"Crap."

* * *

"So, all we have to do is drink one of these once a month, and we'll look like a thirteen year old?" Gilbert asked skeptically, looking at the vial of purple fluid.

"Yep. If you miss a dose, you revert back to normal, and we can't afford that at this school. We'd be outed in seconds. So please, for the love of God, _remember to take your dose on time_. Okay?" Arthur hoped he'd stressed that fact enough. With nods and murmurs of affirmation from everyone else, Arthur grinned.

"Good. Now, I have clothes here for us to change into. Just down your potions, wait 15 minutes, and then we can go and get our school supplies," Arthur continued, uncorking his vial. "On three."

Lukas counted to three, and the eight nations all downed their potions at once.

"Now, we should all pass out in a few minutes, to allow our bodies to adjust. Don't panic, and don't fight it," Lukas said, carefully recorking his vial and stashing it in his bag. Everyone else quickly followed his example, not wanting to break the glass and risk Arthur and Lukas' wrath.

When the dizziness hit, Arthur sat down in an attempt to avoid hitting his head on the floor. The dizzy feeling soon overwhelmed him, and he welcomed the warm embrace of the blackness.

* * *

"Ah, this brings back memories, doesn't it, _mon cher_?" Francis said, draping an arm across Arthur's shoulders. Arthur gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Which part? Because we sure as hell never went shopping together for Hogwarts," Arthur ground out. Francis placed a hand over his heart and feigned hurt.

"Is it so bad being partnered with me? And I meant the ages. Remember when we were this young, before we had children?"

"Yes, I remember. I remember constantly wanting to punch you in the balls," Arthur shot back before spotting the store they were looking for.

Antonio had suggested splitting up to tackle the list. Alfred and Matthew were getting the cauldrons and the measures, while Arthur and Francis were assigned to get books. Antonio and Gilbert had went to get everyone's robes, taking everyone's measurements beforehand, and Lukas and Dani were going to meet everyone at the pet store.

Luckily for Arthur and Francis, it was incredibly easy to find all of the books they needed for everyone. They paid and left with four bags stuffed with books. Arthur resolved to find a more compact way to store them later. Right now, he and Francis were late, and the others were waiting for them.

When they finally walked up, Alfred almost tackled Arthur into a hug. Arthur managed to block him with the book bags.

"Artie! I was getting worried!" Alfred squealed. Arthur blushed a little. "No need to shout it for all the world to hear. Now come on, we should go in."

* * *

"Urgh," Arthur groaned, throwing himself down onto his mattress.

"What's wrong, Artie?" Alfred asked, carefully sitting down next to him. Arthur sighed again.

"Well, getting everything sorted took much longer than expected, so we only have a week left, and honestly I'm quite nervous. Something is bound to attack the school at some point this year, and I just... don't want any of you getting hurt."

Alfred was silent, and Arthur sighed again. "I know, I'm stupid for dumping all of this on you. Just... forget I said anything."

"You're not stupid. They're valid concerns. Artie, we'll all be fine. We can handle ourselves. Don't worry so much," Alfred replied, hugging Arthur from behind. With a huff, Arthur rolled to face Alfred.

"Thank you for that, Alfred. Now go to sleep. We're getting wands tomorrow."

* * *

 **A/N: And that's the end of the first chapter! As per my friend's request, the rest of the story will either be in Harry, Hermoine, or Draco's POV (because I love Draco)**

 **So, hope you enjoyed this first chapter. And happy birthday, Daine! Until next chapter! Concrit is LOVED, flames are fed to my pet dragon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! This chapter is the train ride and the Sorting. Hope you enjoy it, and please tell me if it's rushed!**

 **And UGH, I'm so sorry it took so long! Depression has been kicking my ass lately, and my school is starting in a couple weeks. So... let's hope and pray this isn't complete and utter trash XD**

 **Also, I AM NOT ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THE ACTUAL BOOK. I'm keeping the major events the same, but**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own APH in any way, shape, or form. Nor do I own HP in any way, shape, or form. All rights go to their respective owners. I'm just playing with their worlds/characters for a bit XD**

* * *

Harry's POV

"Come on, Harry! We want to find a good compartment, don't we?" Ron whined, dragging both Hermoine and I after him. Hermoine sighed and gave me a look as if to say _Why are we friends with him again?_

"Ron. We're not going to go without seats, you know. So, please slow down?" I asked. Ron ignored me, however, and finally pulled us into a compartment.

"Yes! We're alone!" Ron cheered, finally turning around to face us. Someone cleared their throat from behind Ron, and Hermoine and I looked over Ron's shoulders to see four people already in here.

"Oh! We're sorry! We can leave if you'd like!" Hermoine yelped. The blonde with startling scarlet eyes just laughed.

"It's fine, you can stay. I don't think anyone here minds," they said, a thick Eastern European accent causing their consonants to roll.

Ron breathed out in relief. "Sorry about that, mates. Thanks for letting us stay."

The blonde with glasses just laughed. "It's not like we own the compartment. And you seem nice enough. What are your names?"

"Oh! I'm Ron, and this is Hermoine, and the one with glasses is Harry," Ron introduced all of us. Hermoine and I sighed and rolled our eyes.

"Ron, we could have introduced ourselves," I complained. Ron grinned sheepishly.

"Nice to meet you, Ron, Harry, Hermoine. I'm Matthew," the blonde with glasses introduced, holding his hand out for a handshake. We all shook it before looking at the others.

"Lukas," the blonde with the cross clip said from his spot by the window, lifting his hand in a gesture of hello.

"Dani," the scarlet-eyed blonde grinned, also holding his hand out for a handshake.

"Arthur," the blonde with the dazzling green eyes offered, copying Lukas' earlier gesture. "I would shake your hands, but I'm afraid I'm trapped over here."

"That's alright, mate. By the way, where are all of you from?" Ron asked, seeming curious.

"Canada," Matthew replied, smiling.

Lukas sighed and turned to face us. "Norway."

"Romania," Dani smirked, showing off a pair of fangs. I shivered a bit, starting to think he may be a vampire.

"London, England," Arthur sighed. Ron looked super confused, and before Hermoine or I could stop him, he blurted "Then why haven't you come to Hogwarts? You don't look like first years."

"Oh, we're all transfer students. I was home-schooled, but my parents wanted me to experience what real school feels like, so I'm at Hogwarts for a year," Arthur explained.

"Both Lukas and I attend Durmstrang. And we're third years," Dani piped up. Matthew smiled. "And I'm from Ilvermorny," he said.

"Oh, cool! We're third years too! So, any questions about Hogwarts?" I asked, jumping in before Ron could say anything else.

"Hm... could you please explain the House system a bit more?" Dani asked. Hermoine and I both tried to stop Ron, but he was already on a roll.

"So, the best house by far is Gryffindor. It's where all the brave people come from, and we're also the house that produces heroes in the wizarding world! Then there's Ravenclaw, where all the smart people go. Well, except for Hermoine, but oh well! Then there's Hufflepuff, for the loyal. They're all super nice and make really good friends. And then there's the Slytherins. Oh, they're all evil. They're all into the Dark Arts, and they're jerks to boot. I hope none of you end up in there," Ron ranted. I glanced over and noticed that Arthur's knuckles looked white, and the other three were shooting him nervous looks.

"Isn't it unfair to judge a whole house based on a few people?" Matthew asked. Ron paused and looked at Matthew as if he were mental.

"It's been proven that they're all despicable. They only talk to Purebloods, and all of them are into the Dark Arts. Trust us on this."

"Oh, hey, you guys made some friends! Wanna introduce us?" a new voice spoke up from the compartment door. I turned to look, and saw four other people standing there, arms loaded with luggage and snacks.

"Ron is the redhead, Hermoine is the girl, and Harry is the one with glasses," Lukas rattled off, turning back to stare out the window. With a jolt, the train started, and I took this opportunity to glare at Ron.

"Ron. For all we know, one of them is a Slytherin, and they seem nice enough. Stop," I hissed. Ron looked unapologetic and turned to face the newcomers.

"Hello! What are all of your names, and are you transfer students as well?" he asked. The tall albino laughed and set his stuff down.

" _Ja,_ we are exchange students. I'm Gilbert, and I attend Beauxbatons normally," he said, grinning and holding his hand out for a handshake.

"What Gilbert forgot to mention is that both Antonio and I also attend Beauxbatons," the long-haired blonde laughed. "I'm Francis, and the tall brunette behind me is Antonio."

"Nice to meet all of you," Hermoine said pleasantly. "And you are...?" she asked, turning to the last one. I was startled to realize he looked almost exactly like Matthew.

"Oh! I'm Alfred, and I attend Ilvermorny with Matthew. We're twins," he beamed, going to sit next between Matthew and Arthur. "Nice to meet all of you!"

After some awkward shuffling, everyone was seated and all of the luggage was stored. The snack pile ended up in the middle of the compartment, and everyone helped themselves.

"So, what Houses do you think you'll be placed in for the year?" I asked to break the tension.

"Probably Gryffindor," Gilbert mused. Francis and Antonio laughed.

"Yeah, you would. Francis and I are probably going to Hufflepuff," Antonio teased. Gilbert smirked back.

"No idea," Alfred and Matthew chimed in unison. Arthur, Lukas, and Dani remained silent.

"Well, I'm going to go exploring," I announced, standing up. I needed to walk around for a bit. Hermoine and Ron shot up and followed me out, while Gilbert and Alfred promised to watch our stuff.

* * *

After the whole Dementor Incident, we finally arrived at Hogwarts. Hermoine, Ron, and I sat at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore Malfoy's glaring from across the room. The Sorting Ceremony was almost done, and the eight transfer students hadn't gone up yet.

Finally, McGonagall called for silence. "Now, we have eight transfer students joining us for this year. Please, help them acclimate to Hogwarts as best you can. They will be joining the third years. Without further ado, would Beilschmidt, Gilbert please step forward?"

Gilbert walked up and sat on the stool.

"Hm..." the Hat muttered. Silence reigned for a solid minute, and the whispers started up.

" _Gryffindor_!" the Hat finally shrieked, to applause from our table. Gilbert grinned and walked over, sitting down next to us.

"Bondevik, Lukas!" McGonagall called.

Lukas only took half a minute before the Hat yelled " _Slytherin_!" Ron's mouth dropped open, and both Hermoine and I shot him looks.

"But... he seemed so nice!" Ron yelped.

"And he still is. Don't say anything," Hermoine hissed. Gilbert shot Ron an unimpressed look as McGonagall called "Bonnefoy, Francis!"

Francis took quite a long time as well, and the whispers started buzzing again. Finally, after about a minute and a half of debate, the Hat yelled " _Hufflepuff_!" Gilbert laughed.

"Knew it!" he laughed, shooting Francis a thumbs-up as he walked over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Fernandez-Carriedo, Antonio!" McGonagall yelled, and Antonio walked forward, an easy grin gracing his features. He took about as long as Francis, and the Hat finally yelled " _Hufflepuff_!" as well. Francis cheered and Antonio walked over and hugged him before sitting down next to him.

"Jones, Alfred!" McGonagall yelled. Francis and Gilbert both flinched as Alfred walked up, looking incredibly nervous.

Six minutes passed, and the Hat was still silent. The whispers filled the room, and Gilbert and Francis were both fidgeting.

"Something's wrong. No one takes this long," Hermoine muttered. Even McGonagall was starting to look anxious. Finally, the Hat shrieked " _Gryffindor_!" Gilbert jumped up and cheered, tackling Alfred into a hug as soon as he came over.

"Gil, I need to breathe! I'm fine!" he laughed. Gilbert muttered something in what sounded like German before releasing Alfred and retaking his seat, Alfred sitting down next to him.

"Kirkland, Arthur!" McGonagall called, and Arthur walked up, shooting Alfred a concerned look. Alfred waved him off, and Arthur rolled his eyes before sitting on the stool.

Four and a half minutes later, Arthur still wasn't Sorted. "What? Is this going to be two Hatstalls in one year?" Hermoine muttered. Finally, just before the five minute mark, the Hat yelled out " _Ravenclaw_!" Arthur walked over to the table, and Alfred, Gilbert, Francis, Antonio, and Lukas all shot him confused looks.

"I could have sworn he would end up in Slytherin," Gilbert muttered. Alfred nodded in agreement.

"Popescu, Danut!" McGonagall called out, and Dani bounced up. The Hat had barely touched his head before it was shrieking " _Slytherin_!" Lukas grinned and welcomed Dani over to the table, and I whacked Ron before he could say anything.

"And finally... Williams, Matthew!" McGonagall called. Matthew walked up, looking incredibly nervous.

"Hey Alfred, why do you and Matthew have different last names?" I asked. Alfred shrugged.

"We were raised apart for the most part, so I think that's why. He was raised in Canada, while I was raised in America," Alfred explained.

Three minutes later, the Hat yelled out " _Ravenclaw_!" and Matthew grinned, giving Arthur a hug as he sat down at the Ravenclaw table.

With the Sorting done, Dumbledore launched into announcements, including the tidbit about Dementors. He also introduced Lupin as the new DADA teacher, and then he finally released us for dinner.

"So, Gilbert, Alfred... do you know who you're rooming with?" Hermoine asked, trying to start conversation. Both of them shrugged.

"No idea," they said.

"Ah, Mr. Beilschmidt, Mr. Jones, if you'd come with me after dinner, we can sort out sleeping arrangements for you two," McGonagall said, coming up from behind them. Both boys jumped and spun around to face her.

"Ah... of course, Professor," Alfred stammered out, looking slightly scared. McGonagall nodded and walked off, leaving the two of them shaken.

"Man! She's like a cat!" Gilbert exclaimed. Hermoine, Ron, and I snickered, and they shot us a look. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. You'll find out," Ron laughed. Both of them glared and went back to dinner.

"So, Alfred... why did you take so long?" Hermoine finally asked. Alfred stilled.

"No idea," he mumbled, going back to his food. Hermoine looked like she didn't believe him, and I jumped in before she could say so.

"What are you two most looking forward to here?" I asked. Alfred and Gilbert both brightened.

"Just all the classes! They all seem like fun!" Gilbert exclaimed. Alfred nodded in agreement.

"Hello! You two must be the transfer students!" Nearly Headless Nick called as he floated over. Alfred shrieked and dived under the table, leaving the rest of Gryffindor table startled. Nearly Headless Nick looked sad.

"Um... hello? I'm not going to hurt you," he murmured.

"Gilbert! Help!" Alfred yelled from under the table. Gilbert sighed and faced Nearly Headless Nick.

"Sorry. He's had bad experiences with ghosts. Give me an opportunity to talk to him, please. I promise, it's not you," Gilbert sighed. Nearly Headless Nick nodded and left, looking dejected.

"Alfred? You okay?" Arthur called, running up with Matthew and Francis in tow.

"'M fine, Iggy. Hey Gil? Can we go talk to the Professor now?" Alfred mumbled. Gilbert smiled and dragged him out from under the table.

"Of course. See you later, guys!" Gilbert called before dragging Alfred out of the Great Hall.

Hermoine, Ron, and I were left staring after them in shock, along with the rest of our table and a good chunk of the Hall.

"Um..." Ron started. Arthur shot him a nasty glare.

"Don't say anything to him," Arthur hissed before stalking back to his table. I can totally see what Alfred and Gilbert meant when they said they thought Arthur would end up in Slytherin.

"Well... this is going to be an interesting year," Hermoine spoke up. Ron and I nodded in agreement. It sure was.

* * *

 **A/N: And here we are! Hope you liked it! Let me know if you agree with the Sorting, and why or why not!**

 **Also, as you can tell, I really don't like Ron. I'll try to keep my hatred to a minimum, though, but no promises X3**

 **Anyway, I'm also not rewriting scenes that won't be changed from the books (like the Dementors on the train scene), so I'm gonna skip them. Sorry if you like them!**

 **So, please review! Concrit is LOVED, flames are fed to my pet dragon! (And yes Winchester-StilinskiKitsune, I DO have a pet dragon. I thought I've told you this before, hon ;))**

 **See you next chapter! ~Neah**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello, people! You can thank the person I'm writing this for for this update. School starts in three days, and I'm writing a novel, and I'm writing a collaboration novel with someone as well. Life is hectic...**

 **But I really enjoy this story, and I promised myself to get another chapter out before school starts! So I made coffee at 2:30 in the afternoon, sat down, turned on Imagine Dragons, and cranked out this chapter. Ah, coffee, my lord and saviour...**

 **Also, this is only loosely following Book 3. Basically, I'm changing a whole lot of things I didn't like and adding the nations in. Just a warning, people.**

 **So, I have a question for people: What house are you guys in? Please let me know! I want to find some fellow Slytherins!**

 **And, someone reviewed this with a comment, and I'd like to address it as a whole.  
I DO NOT LIKE RON. I know I'm not alone in this fandom, and if you like him, I'm fine with that! We all have our own opinions.  
But PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME TO NOT DISLIKE RON. It hurts my feelings, because it seems to me as if you're saying "Change your whole opinion!" I can tell you now, NOTHING BAD IS HAPPENING TO RON. Nothing worse than what happens in Book 3, at least.  
So please, respect my opinion. Thank you. **

**With that, let's get on with this chapter!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do not own APH or HP in any way, shape, or form. All rights go to their original creators. I'm just playing with their creations for a bit X3**

* * *

Harry's POV

"What was that about, do you think? Maybe Alfred was possessed by a ghost or something," Ron was still rambling about what happened in the Great Hall almost fifteen minutes after Alfred and Gilbert had left. Hermione was starting to look kind of annoyed, and I couldn't agree more. We finally made it to Gryffindor Tower, and when we walked in, McGonagall, Alfred, and Gilbert were all in the Common Room. Alfred had a mug of tea in his hands, and Gilbert was cuddled up next to him.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley. We had to shift some people around to accommodate these two. Mr. Potter, you and Mr. Longbottom will be rooming with Mr. Jones and Mr. Beilschmidt. I will show you to your new room." With that, McGonagall stood up and led the three of us to the new dorm room. All of my stuff was already in here, as was Neville's, Alfred's, and Gilbert's.

"I'll leave you three to sort out arrangements. Mr. Longbottom should be here soon. Have a good evening, you three. You'll receive your timetables in the morning," McGonagall announced before leaving us. I was sorely tempted to ask Alfred about what had happened, but one look from Gilbert caused that idea to die.

"So, I'll take the bed by the showers?" Alfred offered, setting his mostly empty mug down on a table.

"Sure. I'll take one by the window," I offered, dragging my stuff over to the bed I'd claimed. Gilbert dragged his stuff over to the bed by the door, and as we were unpacking, Neville came in.

"Hi. Sorry, McGonagall just told me. I'll just take the other bed by the window, then?" he puffed. Alfred grinned at Neville.

"Sure! I don't think we got properly introduced. I'm Alfred F. Jones, nice to meet you!" he chirped, bouncing over and offering a handshake. Neville took it.

"Neville Longbottom. So, you came all the way from America? What's it like?" I could see Alfred and Gilbert relax when Neville didn't ask about the Great Hall.

"Before he starts his rant, I'm Gilbert Beilschmidt," Gilbert cut in, shaking Neville's hand. Within a minute, all four of us were having a very animated conversation about life in Berlin, America, what Hogwarts teachers are like, and Quidditch. As Gilbert told us about the time he had walked in on his younger brother flirting with someone else, I smiled. Looks like I'd made two new friends. Maybe this year would be better than I thought.

* * *

Draco's POV

I sighed. We had Potions with the Gryffindors _again_ this year. Did the teachers do this on purpose? I was getting sick of having Potions with Potter and his stupid friends. And based on the way he's laughing with the two Gryffindor transfer students, I'd have to deal with another two.

"Alfred and Gilbert aren't that bad," Bondevik spoke up from behind me. I turned to face him and Popescu, who had claimed a table together almost immediately. Both of them had seemed friendly enough last night, even though I was annoyed that I was being forced to room with them and Blaise for the whole year.

"How would you know?" I asked. Bondevik just gave me a measured look.

"Alfred is very close friends with one of my best friends. He tends to drag Gilbert along with him. I've gotten to know both of them fairly well, and I can assure you, they're a lot of fun to hang out with," Bondevik replied. I turned back to the front of the room as Snape walked in, and I sighed. I still needed to find a partner, and all of the Slytherins had already paired off with someone else. I had to go with a Gryffindor.

"Mr. Jones. Seeing as you are not seated, would you mind sitting with Mr. Malfoy? I'm sure he can teach you a thing or two," Snape drawled.

"Sure!" the blonde exclaimed before sitting down next to me. He extended a hand and smiled at me.

"I'm Alfred F. Jones. What's your name?" he asked. I shook his hand and answered "Draco Malfoy."

"Cool! Well, let's get started. Do you wanna handle getting the cauldron ready, and I can measure out ingredients?" Jones offered. I sighed and mentally prepared myself for the horrible potion that would surely emerge before nodding.

When Professor Snape came around, he stopped in shock and looked over at Jones' work. I paused and glanced over, and my eyes widened in shock. All of the ingredients were measured out perfectly, and in record time, too. Most of the Gryffindors were still trying to get their measurements exactly right.

"Have you brewed this potion before, Mr. Jones?" Professor Snape asked, seemingly recovering from his shock. Jones just grinned back and began to drop the right ingredients into the cauldron.

"Nah, I haven't. I just like Potions. It's always come naturally to me," he replied, shrugging nonchalantly. Professor Snape nodded and then kept walking. I glanced over at Jones, and he smiled back at me.

"So, you wanna keep adding stuff while I stir?" he asked. I nodded and we switched places.

Our potion was finished with twenty minutes to spare, and Professor Snape awarded points to both of our Houses for a job well done. Of course, he then docked points from Gryffindor because of Weasley and Potter.

"This was fun! You're a great person to work with. Wanna do it again?" Jones beamed at me. I smiled a bit in spite of myself.

"That would be splendid. I look forward to it, Jones," I replied, beginning to pack up.

"Just call me Alfred, Malfoy," he said. I nodded, and Jones-sorry, Alfred- went over to chat with Beilschmidt about how his potion with Longbottom went.

"Told you, Malfoy," Bondevik spoke up, smirking at me. I rolled my eyes and gave him a gentle shove.

"Shut up," I muttered, leaving for my next class as the bell rang.

* * *

At dinner that night, Kirkland came over to our table to chat with Bondevik and Popescu. Blaise and I both joined in a bit, and after a bit, I finally asked something that had been bugging me since the Sorting.

"Hey, Kirkland. Why aren't you in Slytherin? You certainly act like one," I asked. Kirkland laughed.

"Because having Lukas, Dani, and I in one House is _asking_ for the school to be destroyed. Plus, I didn't want Matthew to be alone. And I can really be in either Ravenclaw or Slytherin," he explained, shrugging. Pansy leaned over and joined the conversation.

"By the way, is Jones single?" she asked. Bondevik choked on his water, Popescu started laughing, and Kirkland's eyes widened to almost comical levels.

"No, he's taken," Kirkland finally managed to stammer out before he dashed back to his table. Popescu continued laughing, while Bondevik shook his head in exasperation. Jones glanced over at our table in concern before going back to his conversation with Potter and Granger.

"Pity he's taken. He's hot," Pansy pouted. Bondevik smiled while Popescu clapped her on the back and said "Dream on, Parkinson."

Thankfully, the rest of dinner passed with no incident, and I gratefully collapsed onto my bed when we got back to the dorms, thoroughly exhausted from all the homework the teachers had assigned us.

"Night Malfoy," Popescu announced as he climbed into bed. I murmured a reply before closing my eyes and letting sleep wash over me.

* * *

Hermione's POV

"Argh! Why do they assign so much homework?!" Gilbert moaned, collapsing into a chair in the Common Room. Ron and Harry looked up from their game of chess, and I glanced up from my book.

"Wasn't it like this at Beauxbatons?" Ron asked, moving one of his knights.

" _Ja_ , it was, but I can still complain," Gilbert shot back.

"Fair point," Harry answered, moving his queen. Only two more moves until checkmate. I smiled. Harry had gotten pretty good at chess over the years.

"What do you want to bet that Arthur and Matthew already finished all their homework, Gil?" Alfred asked, collapsing on top of Gilbert. Gilbert just shifted to give Alfred more room on the chair, and Harry snickered a bit at the two of them cuddling. It was pretty cute, I'd admit.

"Finishing your homework early is a smart strategy," I pointed out, setting my book down. Then again, I was cheating a bit. I had a Time Turner that I could use to give me extra time. Ron and Harry groaned and went back to their game. Ron groaned again when Harry won, and I smiled a little at the boys' antics.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Harry announced, standing up. "I don't want to be too tired tomorrow. Snape's giving us another potion to brew, and I don't want to give him more of an excuse to dock points from Gryffindor."

"I think I'll turn in as well," I agreed, also standing up to head to my dorm. Ron followed Harry, and I paused to glance back at Alfred and Gilbert, the only two people left in the Common Room. "Are you two going to go to sleep as well?"

"Nah, we're staying up for a bit longer. We'll see you at breakfast, though!" Alfred replied. I nodded and wished them goodnight before heading up to my room, both excited for and dreading tomorrow and its insane load of classes. Oh well! Challenging myself was good. With that, I climbed into bed and turned off the lights, slipping into a dreamland. This year was sure to be very interesting.

* * *

 **A/N: And there we have it! It took 2 hours, three cups of coffee, and lots of Imagine Dragons to complete this. Please answer the question of what House you're in! I'd like to know!**

 **Now, I'm going to go write some more of my novel, and maybe start on "Lightning Strikes the Heart"... Who knows?**

 **Until next chapter! Concrit is LOVED, flames are used to grill teriyaki. Au reviour, meine lieblings! ~Neah**


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